Pericardioscopy for diagnosing penetrating cardiac trauma.

Currently, the diagnosis of hemopericardium in trauma is made mainly by ultrasonography. A pericardial window, either through thoracoscopy or by a subxiphoid approach, is also used. However, hemopericardium per se might be overly sensitive for diagnosing cardiac injuries after chest trauma. The use of diagnostic pericardioscopy in a hemodynamically stable patient with penetrating cardiac trauma is presented. This procedure excluded significant cardiac injury and spared the patient from a major nontherapeutic procedure.